Issue #364 of Doctor Who Magazine is due out this week, on Thursday 8 December. The press blurb and cover illustration is below; click on the thumbnail for a larger version. (With thanks to Tom Spilsbury at DWM)

The official Radio Times listing for the Doctor Who Christmas special, The Christmas Invasion, airing at 7.00pm on Sunday 25 December, shows additional cast members and other details, as well as noting that series one will repeat on BBC starting the day after. The listing is as follows:

Though we published some of the big-ticket press clips last week (on 1 December), the following catches us up with other items from the past couple of weeks, including items from this weekend:

There was another item this week about the possibility of Stephen Fry'sepisode of series two of Doctor Who being delayed until the third year: writer Mark Gatiss, appaering on the Simon Mayo show on Radio FiveLive this week, said it might happen because of budget reasons, though there was no final decision reported.

icWales has a report on the National Orchestra of Wales's recent recording sessions for the new series incidental music. "The soundtrack to the new Doctor Who series has been recorded by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The Cardiff orchestra recorded the music in closed sessions this month at the BBC studios in the city. Conducted by Ben Foster, the sessions were produced by the programme's composer Murray Gold, who also arranged the new version of the Doctor Who soundtrack. 'The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is the best orchestra I've recorded with,' said Gold. The recording sessions will be featured on BBC 3 on Doctor Who Confidential when the new series goes on air in the New Year."icNorth Wales also covers the story: "The orchestra recorded the music in closed sessions last month at Studio 1 at the BBC in Cardiff, conducted by Ben Foster and attended and produced by the programme's music composer Murray Gold, who also arranged the new version of the famous Doctor Who soundtrack - in turn made even more memorable in its day by the legendary BBC Radiophonic Workshop. This rather basic 'sound special effects' unit, based in the BBC's Maida Vale studios in London, was created in 1958 and ran for just under 40 years until being disbanded, you may be amazed to learn, as lately as 1997. As I understand it, contemporary incidental or theme 'music' for BBC programmes was created by recording sounds such as voices, car engines, bells and the like onto audio tape, which was then manipulated by cutting and pasting, running forwards and backwards at different speeds, for example, in a bare basement with plenty of reverb."

Issue 197 of TV Zone, due out 7 December, features an interview with "Christmas Invasion" director James Hawes, who talks about overseeing the invasion of the Sycorax, David Tennant's debut, killer Santas and bringing K-9 back to the screen. He also chats about his plans for Torchwood - and debunks a few of those casting rumours! Meanwhile, effects supervisor Dave Houghton spills the beans on the secrets of the Doctor's regeneration, and what we can expect from The Christmas Invasion and Season Two... The issue also includes interviews with the cast and crew of Battlestar Galactica, Invasion and Stargate Atlantis, and features on The Goodies, Bewitched, Bones, Lost in Space, Ghost Stories for Christmas and TV on the theatrical stage. Oh, and a competition to win all of Babylon 5! Phew. Links for ordering are on the VisiMag website.

Is a children's version of Doctor Who Magazine in the cards? A job advert for "Doctor Who Adventures" is on the BBC's jobs site. "We are looking for a Doctor Who expert with first class editorial skills to work on this exciting new magazine for pre-teen boys. Not only will you have an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Who, you'll have first-hand experience of writing and commissioning for pre-teen boys."

December 2's Express and Echo features an interview with former Doctor Who companion Peter Purves. "I've had a really lucky career," Purves tells the paper. "I'm very proud of the fact that these cult shows have played a major part." The article notes that "Roles in television favourites Z Cars, Dixon of Dock Green and The Saint followed between 1963 and 65, before he was cast in Doctor Who for a one-off appearance as Morton Dill. 'I got that through pure luck,' he said. 'The director, Richard Martin, remembered me from a television play I'd done and cast me in a small part as this tall, gawky hillbilly who joined Doctor Who and the Daleks on the top of the Empire State Building in a serial called The Chase. After that the producers asked me if I would be interested in taking over from Bill Russell and Jackie Hill who were leaving. As you can imagine, I jumped at the chance!' Peter played Steven Taylor, one of the original doctor's (William Hartnell) 'ever-present 'companions', for 44 episodes. 'That was a hell of a break. At that time, if you think about it, there wasn't a lot of work in television as there were only three channels.'"

There are 2 small pieces on Doctor Who in December's Attitude magazine and a short interview with John Barrowman (though this doesn't mention Doctor Who). The Doctor Who DVD Box Set is reviewed (with small pic of Captain Jack astride the Bad Wolf bomb): 'Russell T Davies re-invents the timelord for the 21st century as a dry-witted, leather jacket-clad loner, pitching the Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and his shop-girl assistant (Billie Piper) against dastardly foes from the past, present and future, including the Daleks (hurrah!). Mixing pop culture compelling performances and jaw-dropping special effects, the new Doctor Who is rollicking good fun. The five-disc set comprises all 13 episodes in a rather natty TARDIS box packaging, plus copious additional material such as commentries and a spotlight feature on Captain jack (Attitude fave John Barrowman).' On the same page is the Christmas day TV review, including: :... High point of the day, though, for most gayers will be the return of Russell T Davies' sublimely brilliant DOCTOR WHO - where we find out if David Tennant can fill the excellent Christopher Eccleston's size 11 boots.' Barrowman and his partner Scott Gill are interviewed (p56) regarding civil partnerships. On being congratulated, John comments: "Well, to be honest, we're actually not going to get married. We're probably just going to sign the register. We're not going to have any kind of ceremony because I'm not a supporter of the word marriage for a gay partnership. It's something that has the connotation of religion and religion is something that hates or dislikes gay people and doesn't agree with them."

The new Readers Poll in SFX Magazine notes that the Best TV Show is Doctor Who. 'Break out the Union Jack bunting, and raise a patriotic cup of char. Blighty finally showed the world how it's done. Doctor Who returned as the rtings-snatching ITV-bothering kid-enchanting mainstream smash we always knew it could be... again. And this was before the madness and the majesty of Sad Tony.' At number 2 - Lost. At 3, Batttlestar Galactica. Christopher Eccleston won Best TV Actor. 'There was a TARDIS-load of expectation on his wiry northern shoulders, but Christopher Eccleston wrestled Doctor Who into the 21st century, bringing stellar acting chops to a role that had become a frock-coated joke. Let's see if David Tennant can vault that bar next year.' (At 2, Michael Shanks, 3 -Terry O'Quinn). Billie Piper was voted Best TV Actress. 'A fat yah-boo sucks to all those doom-mongering snobs who, only a year ago, dismissed Billie Piper as a has-been teen popstrel who would prove the ruination of Doctor Who. Truth is, her performance as Rose was pure magic. Go team Billie!' At 2 - Claudia Black, 3 - Evangaline Lilly. The best TV episode according to the poll was Episode 13, "The Parting of the Ways". 'Doctor Who dominates the Best TV Episodes category, with Steven Moffat's two-parter at two and four, but it was Russell T Davies' pulse-troubling, tearduct-tickling swansong for Christopher Eccleston's Doctor that ruled all. Daleks, regeneration, the near-decimation of mankind ... and the words "little tubs of coleslaw." ' At 2, The Empty Child. 3, Dalek. 4, The Doctor Dances. 6, Father's Day. SFX also voted two Doctor Who books in the "best non-fiction" category: "Monsters and Villains" by Justin Richards at number 3, and "Back to the Vortex" by Shaun Lyon at number 4. (Books on the film "Serenity" were first and second). Billie Piper won the "Sexiest Woman" category, with John Barrowman the #4 on the "Sexiest Man" list and Christopher Eccleston close behind him at #5. Finally, in their "Hall of Fame" category, at number 2 was the return of Doctor Who, at #4 was Russell T. Davies, at #5 was the Doctor and Rose holding hands, and at #10, the return of the Daleks.

Last week's Radio Times (not the one with Doctor Who on the cover, but the one before) featured a listing of the 20 most eagerly-awaited Christmas programmes. "Doctor Who" comes in at No. 2 (behind "Little Britain"), described as: "Eagerly anticipated Christmas Day special, with David Tennant as the new Doctor, and Billie Piper. Real family viewing." The magazine presented its review of the year's broadcasting and the show featured heavily. As well as a namecheck for Billie Piper on the cover, "the better-than-you-could-have-hoped-for return of Doctor Who" is the climax of editor Gill Hudon's run-down of the year's best: "Russell T Davies, Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper: thank you!" The Alison Graham Column also recalled "Russell T Davies's thoroughly engaging romp, Casanova, [which] made a star of David Tennant. From Casanova, Tennant sprang effortlessly to take over the role of the Doctor from Christopher Eccleston, who played his part in re-establishing a TV icon." The eight-page review of the year's television includes almost two pages on the series, publicity shots of Tennant, Piper and Eccleston accompanying a spoof Who-themed National [Enquirer? Examiner? See attached scan] cover and a brief interview with "sidekick of the year" Piper: "I never watch anything I do because I get so scared and paranoid, but I forced myself to sit down and watch series one of Doctor Who recently," she told RT. "And I have to say that, watching it, I felt really, really happy and proud of the entire thing." ... Hardly suprisingly, she's looking forward to spending more time [next year] at home. For now, however, she's back where she was at the start of the year: filming the next series of Doctor Who..." The feature also offers discounts to RT readers on the recent books The Legend Continues and The Shooting Scripts. There are also two items looking to the next series - a small news item on the return of the Cybermen, and Charlotte Church, in her own interview, scotching rumours that she has a part in the series.

The Daily Star on 24 November noted that "of course, the big one everyone's talking about for Christmas Day is BBC1's Dr Who: The Christmas Invasion. David Tennant makes his full debut as the Doc - tackling the threat of the evil Sycorax. They're a race hellbent on taking over Earth, even though they sound more like a nasal decongestant." The Sun noted that Billie Piper was "a huge fan of Christmas specials. "It means so much to me that our show is going out when families will be sitting down together, eating copious amounts and drinking sherry. I think I'm going to need a few sherries before I watch it." (Also noted at DigitalSpy.)

The Sun on 24 November ran an article about John Barrowman competing in Dancing On Ice, a celebrity skating show. "John Barrowman, 38 -- who plays the captain in BBC1's hit -- will compete in Dancing on Ice, TV Biz can exclusively reveal. He is set to strap on his skates to train with '80s champs Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean on ITV1's Strictly Come Dancing-style show. John, who was in musical Chicago with Jennifer Ellison, 22, will battle other stars including Dame Kelly Holmes and Tamara Beckwith in the New Year. An insider said: 'He's more used to battling Daleks but at least he has rhythm.'"

In 26 November's Independent, a comment about the recent switching on of Christmas lights by Tennant and Piper: "Celebrity switchers: Of all the planets, in all the galaxies, Dr Who and his assistant Rose (aka David Tennant and Billie Piper) had to pick the Welsh capital. Piper told the crowd her favourite scene involved being attacked by a Christmas tree and the Cybermen were 'quite sexy actually'. Was it the prospect of this that drove Christopher Eccleston to quit? ... They should have hired... Billie, a couple of Cybermen and Chris Evans. Now that we'd like to see."

The Doctor Who Appreciation Society has received a letter from the Queen - or rather from the Queen's Senior Correspondence Officer, as Her Majesty understandably does not deal with her mail herself! DWAS Coordinator Ian Wheeler told Outpost Gallifrey, 'We scored a big hit by getting a letter from Lorraine Hegessey a couple of years back which was the first indication that the show was coming back. I never expected to top that but I think that we have managed it! I'd read about the Queen requesting tapes of Doctor Who so dropped her a line. Whilst the Palace does not comment directly on the Queen's tastes, the letter wishes the members of the Society well and says that the Queen was interested to hear that we have been going for nearly 30 years.'

The Chicago Sun Times covered the ChicagoTARDIS convention last weekend, noting that Nicola Bryant and Peter Davison would be guest stars at the event.

In addition to our story (run 24 November on Outpost Gallifrey) aboutBroadcast Magazine's "Hot 100" lists, there are other people besides David Tennant who were given accolades in the same issue, we've learned. Exec producerJulie Gardner came in at #13 on the producers list: "Gardner has clearly developed a special and highly productive relationship with Russell T Davies which so far has produced the phenomenal comeback of Doctor Who for BBC1 and Casanova for BBC2. It's been very good news for BBC Wales, which has been turned around by the commissions Welsh-born Gardner has brought west. Add to that Lucy Gannon's single drama Dad, the Richard Curtis-penned The Girl in the Cafe, from Tightrope Films, and it's been an extraordinarily good year for the former English teacher who only joined the BBC two years ago. Next off the Gardner production line is the eagerly awaited Kudos time travelling cop serial Life on Mars." Russell T Davies was #1 on the writers list: "Many a sceptical eyebrow was raised at the news that Davies was to write the return of Doctor Who. But fears that it would be a camp, ironic, retro brand exploitation exercise soon disappeared down a black hole of brilliant writing. If there was anything missing from Davies' CV it was a ratings busting primetime family drama and this was it. Even the Doctor's greatest sworn enemy, Michael Grade, was won over. And as if the Doctor wasn't enough Davies also turned BBC3/2's Casanova into a glorious romp, confirming, if confirmation were needed, that his range is unmatched in television today. Davies is not the hottest writer of the year, he's the hottest of his generation." Broadcast Magazine also published an analysis about the new show and 'old school heroes' being back on tleevision: "With 9.9 million tuning in to Doctor Who earlier this year, who can blame drama producers for ransacking the archives in search of a dose of nostalgia to whet our dramatic appetites, jaded by a surfeit of cynicism? Writer Andrew Davies, who has injected new life into more than his fair share of classic characters, reveals there's a lot to be said for nostalgia. 'I watched Doctor Who and it took me back to when I first saw it with my kids when they were small.' ... For Russell T Davies, the writer behind Doctor Who, the secret is to reinvent without jettisoning the things that made the original work. 'With Doctor Who we haven't fiddled with the basic format too much. Basically they got it right in 1963. The Doctor, a human, the Tardis and monsters - and all of that is still intact. We haven't done anything daft or damaging like: 'Let's make the Doctor a villain this time!'"

The Observer on 27 November said that "the best British actors, writers and directors are putting inventive drama back on the small screen. ... Beeb-bashers will have noted that the sparkling array of new work on BBC1 coincides with the corporation's charter renewal. The spate of quality dramas, the cynics would maintain, is a multi-billion-pound version of buffing up your CV. Having Poliakoff alongside Shakespeare Retold and Bleak House on your flagship channel ticks that 'public-service' box rather better than Ground Force. Whether this spurt of creative elan continues after 2007 remains to be seen. The Doctor Who effect suggests it might. No one is claiming Russell T Davies's self-referential crowd-pleaser will have Ken Loach looking over his shoulder, but it's about as close to memorable as the Saturday family slot is ever going to get, and it's proved to the execs that, at its best, drama can trump both light entertainment and reality pap in the ratings. ITV is currently preparing an anti-Who counterblast and, tellingly, its weapon of choice is neither a reality show nor Ant and Dec: it's a sci-fi drama called Primaeval. As Dan Chambers says: 'Reality TV probably peaked last year and what will fill the gap is drama.'

The website of Online Recruitment has a bone to pick with Russell T Davies. "When the well-known writer and producer of the successfully relaunched Doctor Who, Russell T Davies goes on record in an interview with the BBC (due to be broadcast on Radio 2 in a documentary on the 20 December) stating that he would never cast a Doctor over the age of 45, something is obviously wrong. Not only will he be in direct contravention of the new age discrimination laws due to come into effect in October 2006, but he's also lost much of the radicalism presented by the original series, says Penna plc, a human capital management consultancy. In an extract from the documentary Russell T Davies is quoted as saying, 'We live in an age now where you would never cast an older Doctor. Absolutely never. Never over fifty, I wouldn't say over forty-five actually. So we'll always have young Doctors now, because that's what a hero is these days.' The original Doctor Who challenged previous conventions of the BBC. Its producer was a young woman whose roots were in commercial television, the originator Sydney Newman was Canadian, and its director was Asian. Since the 1960s, the business world has gradually caught up with the ground-breaking foresight of Dr Who and recruited and developed people not based on age, sex or race but on talent. Penna plc, a human capital management consultancy, is sorry to see this apparent bowing to public pressure. 'Russell T Davies is not only wide of the mark and misinformed, but his quote is potentially damaging and would almost certainly be illegal with effect from next October,' says Gary Browning, CEO of Penna. 'Like employees in the workplace, Doctors (in the 'Who' sense) could benefit from the wisdom of age. In an era of low birth rates, increasing life expectancies and a rapidly increasing workforce, age is not something any of us can afford to discriminate against in the future. Over the next two decades the number of people of employable age will decrease by 15% - there will be, for the first time, more people over the age of 40 than under. The challenges of this demographic shift will impact on employers and time travellers alike.' Recent research from the Employers Forum on Age (EFA) found that attitude, not age, counts. Russell T Davies should learn from this. 'The Doctor Who's of the past have been loved and revered because of their talent and ingenuity – not because they were traditional heroes," continues Gary. "The only words of consolation I take from Russell's quote is that with my 45th birthday just 4 weeks away, it would seem that I can still be considered as the next Time Lord – but only just!'"

The BBC has pulled the plug on an adult video featuring Daleks, according toThe Register. "Those readers who have ever wondered in an idle moment how a couple of Daleks would respond to the presence of three naked lesbians romping in their Mothership might recently have found the answer in the shape of a sci-fi smutfest entitled 'Abducted by the Daleks'. Sadly, however, you'll have to wonder on because the BBC and the estate of Dalek creator Terry Nation have moved swiftly to pull the plug on the the trundling salt-cellars' intergalactic rumpy-pumpy. The 1,000-disc limited edition DVD recently popped up on eBay but has now been removed at the Corporation's behest. ... To cut to the chase - literally - here's how UK tabloid the Sun describes it: 'Dr Who's foes capture three naked 'disco babes' in the 18-rated DVD. They chase the girls around their spaceship and grope them with their plungers.' Oh dear, oh dear. The director of Terry Nation's estate, Tim Hancock, told the paper: 'The reason the Daleks are still the most sinister thing in the universe is because they do not make things like porn. They weren't ever intended to be sexual creatures. It's simple, Daleks do not do porn.'" The film apparently used the word Daloids instead of Daleks. The Sunfeatured a brief article about the video. Also covered at Yahoo News UK,MegaStar, GadgetSpy, ShortNews, Aversion.

icWales covered a Doctor Who related protest in Cardiff. "A life-sized replica of Doctor Who's Tardis came to Cardiff city centre as protestors campaigned to re-establish a city hospital. Scenes of the hit BBC sci-fi series were filmed in the empty wards of Cardiff Royal Infirmary (CRI). And protestors calling for a hospital to be re-established on the site took the Tardis to Queen Street yesterday with the campaign slogan 'CRI Wants Real Doctors Not Doctor Who,' insisting it should be used as a hospital and not as a film set. 'Cardiff already desperately needs more hospital facilities and the city is still growing,' said Dave Bartlett, who is secretary of CRISIS – Cardiff Royal Infirmary Save Its Services – which organised the protest. 'But hospital waiting lists and waiting times are growing even faster so the development of a hospital on the site of the CRI is a priority for the health needs of the city.' The Tardis and campaigners held their protest outside the Capitol shopping centre. And tomorrow they will lobby MPs at the assembly overnment offices in Cardiff Bay, handing over an 85,000 signature petition calling for a new hospital."

London24 says it's been a great 12 months for David Tennant, who has "rocketed from relative unknown to a household name. Although David first graced our screens in the 1994 drama Takin' Over The Asylum, it is roles such as the maverick DI Carlisle in the acclaimed Blackpool, and then as Casanova in Russell T Davies' fast-paced serial that have made him one of the nation's favourites. However, it's his role as the 10th Dr Who that is set to cement his place in history. And few could have predicted the show's phenomenal success when it returned to our screens after a 16-year gap." There are quotes from David Tennant, possibly taken from other sources. Just a few: "It was funny, when I first got asked I laughed! But it's such a great job! I get to play a Time Lord and have a Tardis - you can't knock that! ... Every time the Doctor goes through [regeneration], he changes to an extent. So you get to work on a blank canvas where you don't have to worry too much about what has gone before. It's interesting because he's always going be the slightly wild, bloke that he's always been. But because he's getting older, he's moving on. He's seen it all before, every alien creature with a superiority complex. ... Viewers are going to see a slightly more no-nonsense Doctor and it is influenced by what Chris did. We are more aware that he's someone who fought a war, lost all his people and, because he's the last Time Lord, the last authority in the universe, he's less indulgent, more ruthless. ... [About the costume:] I wanted something that would look good and feel right. I also wanted an outfit that wasn't too authoritarian, so that's why I opted for a scruffy- looking suit."

Finally, an obituary was published this week for Jonathan James-Mooreat the MediaGuardian. James-Moore was the producer of the Radio Four miniseries "Slipback" starring Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant, written by Eric Saward.

(Thanks to Paul Engelberg, Steve Tribe, Paul Hayes, Peter Weaver, Chuck Foster, John Bowman, Tim Parker)

The new issue of Radio Times has revealed two new titles for forthcoming episodes of the second series of Doctor Who. Mark Gatiss' episode is entitledThe Idiot's Lantern, according to the magazine, while the 13th and final episode of the season (written by Russell T Davies) bears the ominous title of Doomsday. In addition, the magazine also mentions that the name of the "red button" interactive episode written by Gareth Roberts that will be available starting on Christmas day is Attack of the Graske.

Russell T Davies updates readers on Torchwood in the new issue of SFX Magazine, as relayed by the website The Great Link. The interview notes that the show, about a "renegade bunch of investigators," will first be hinted at in "The Christmas Invasion" next month. More hints will follow throughout the second season. Davies will write two episodes of "Torchwood" which he says that, thanks to the expected watershed slot (9pm) for the show, "we can be a bit more visceral, more violent, and more sexual, if we want to. Though bear in mind that it’s very teenage to indulge yourself in blood and gore, and Torchwood is going to be smarter than that. But it’s the essential difference between BBC One at 7pm, and BBC Three at say, 9pm. That says it all -- instinctively, every viewer can see the huge difference there." Torchwood is still in the early stages of development, it says, but there will probably some production crossover with Doctor Who, "they’re two very different shows, so each will have its own identity." As Outpost Gallifrey previously reported, writers currently onboard for Torchwood are PJ Hammond (ITV’s Sapphire and Steel) and Chris Chibnall (BBC One’s Born and Bred). You can read more from Russell about Torchwood in the Christmas 2005 Issue of SFX Magazine. (Thanks to Chris Howell at The Great Link)

Russell T Davies will be signing copies of "Doctor Who: The Shooting Scripts," the new BBC Books release, on Saturday October 29 at 12.00pm at Waterstone's, The Hayes, Cardiff. The telephone number of the store is 029 2066 5606 for customer details or further information. (Thanks to Christine Jenkins/Waterstones)

Destination Three, BBC3's "new topical entertainment program" filmed in Manchester, will be broadcasting a Doctor Who Special on Friday, March 25, from 11.30pm - 1.30am. The program will tape next Tuesday.

BBC Radio Derby this morning (story here) featured an interview with several members of the Derby Whoovers regarding the new series; they had with them a life size Dalek in the studio, which then headed off to nearby Pickford's House Museum where it will be on display over the next week and Easter weekend until Monday 28th March.

Russell T Davies' latest production, "Casanova," is making waves. BBC Radio 4 on their Saturday Review program on March 12 said they didn't like it, but noted that they'd be paying attention to Davies' other production, Doctor Who, on March 19. But Alison Graham, TV column editor of Radio Times, praised Casanova in the newest edition: "Life seems to be going swimmingly as we rejoin Casanova in the second part of Russell T Davies's funny sumptuous romp ... Davies's script is littered with jokes and cheeky asides ... The look of the whole thing is absolutely gorgeous, with beautiful colours and costumes and some heady, lovely ballroom sequences."

BBC Wales has been running trailers on BBC Wales TV networks over the past few weeks advertising its programmes. In the most recent, the trail has ended with two people standing outside and open-doored TARDIS, inviting the viewers in, while the TARDIS materialisation noise can be heard.

This morning's GMTV aired a preview of the new show. There was apparently nothing new during the interviews with Chris Eccleston or Billie Piper other than - after filmed interviews - the programme returned to the studio and presenter Jenni Falconer said that a second series would begin filming in June or July, though clearly this may just be conjecture.

Newsround's website says that "Newsround will have more behind-the-scenes features and exclusive interviews when the new series starts on 26 March". As our correspondent says, since the new series is being aimed at children, expect such stories to appear on Newsround's sister show 'Newsround Showbiz'. This usually airs on the CBBC channel Saturday and Sunday at 15:50. Newsround earlier had a report from the launch party, shown last week.

Christopher Eccleston is interviewed in next week's print edition of The Stage, the newspaper for performing arts professionals; the issue will be available from Wednesday in some parts of Central London, and from Thursday UK-wide, and you may also be able to read the interview on their website.

Today's Weekend Australian says that the "Time Lord's allure proves tough to exterminate," as it sums up the comments made across the newspapers over the past week. It quotes many newspapers as well as online websites that discussed the leak of the new series like Wired and Dark Horizons.

Yesterday's Daily Post in Liverpool discusses the Daleks. "Since my item last week about the return of Dr Who, several people have informed me that the new-look Daleks are much deadlier than their predecessors," writes columnist Valerie Hill. "They now fly around on jet-powered platforms. You can no longer outwit these ruthless, inter-galactic, metal tyrants by simply running up a flight of stairs. Yet will children's happy cries of 'exterminate, exterminate, exterminate' be replaced by 'Elevate, elevate, elevate'? It doesn't really have quite the same threat."

In Yesterday's "Broadcast" online edition: "Quick! Get behind the sofa! Why, is the TV licence detector van outside again? It's much scarier than that - the return of Doctor Who. Doctor Who? I thought he died out long ago. That's where you're wrong. Doctors are never killed off - they regenerate. A bit like Angus Deayton. And this time he's come back in the shape of Christopher Eccleston." It also mentions that, this time, the Doctor is "up against his most fearsome opponents yet. The Master? The Cybermen? Blokes in outsized green rubber outfits waving coathangers? Even worse than that, Ant and Dec!" referring to the time slot competition on ITV, Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. So who's going to win? "It won't be easy for the Doctor - younger viewers won't have heard of him, and those that have might recall his not entirely successful eighth [sic] incarnation, Sylvester McCoy." But he's got a secret weapon, says the article: Billie Piper.

Today's Daily Telegraph from Australia warns viewers that Daleks can now climb stairs! "It's the eyes. There's only one thing scarier than evil eyes -- and that's no eyes. That made Daleks the scariest of the Doctor Who villains by far. It meant there was no way of engaging with them. No way of seeing a glimpse of humanity. ... Of course like everybody else I had worked out a plan for what I would do if any daleks tried to kill me -- I'd run upstairs. But that won't work any longer. In the new series, apparently, Daleks can fly. So that's my last hope, gone." In a separate column in the same paper, a columnist notes that "Doctor Who has become Dr When -- with a dash of Dr Where and Why," noting there is still no announcement of a broadaster there. "The ABC, which has screened BBC shows since January 1965, is yet to buy the new series despite being offered the rights last year. At that stage they hadn't shown it to us and I wanted to see an episode before we bought it," says ABC's head of programming Marena Manzoufas. Says the article: "The delay in a decision -- though an agreement gives the ABC first right of refusal to BBC output -- led to industry speculation that a commercial network would move in for the new 13-part series. It is believed Channel 9 was keen on the show. 'We will be going into negotiations very shortly,' she said. 'Before we saw it a week-and-a-half ago we were concerned about whether it would work for a non-Who audience. But it's fabulous -- even if you're not a Doctor Who fan, you can come to it cold and be engrossed in it. If you are a Doctor Who fan there are all sorts of references to the past to enjoy." The article also mentions a few SPOILERS about the aliens the Doctor meets in the first several episodes (click on the spoiler tag.)

(Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg, Andy Thompson, Dean Braithwaite, Scott Wortley, John Leivers, Scott Matthewman, David Rafer)